Discussion Main / MurderByInaction

There's another quote that I feel would work better here, since it sums everything up nicely.

"I did not kill him. I simply failed to save him." - Sinestro, Green Lantern: The Animated Series.

I merged Let Them Die here by this TRS thread.

"If you aren't him, then you apparently got your brain from the same discount retailer, so..." - Fighteer

The following examples either don't appear to be examples or seem questionable as written. Clarification from someone familiar with the works would be helpful.

From Literature section:

• Dallben in Chronicles of Pryden cannot kill; that doesn't prevent him from setting deathtraps around his cottage that will be activated by his violent death.

That doesn't sound like "inaction" at all, just taking advantage of a loophole. Deliberately setting deathtraps is taking a very active role in killing someone. I removed it from the main page; if anyone thinks it should be added back, please rewrite it to show how it's a death by inaction.

From Live-action TV:

• Farscape: On one occasion, Chiana has the villain of the week at gunpoint. By this point in the episode, he has killed two of her dear friends, including his own brother, and terrorized the mining colony where they live. And yet, she can't bring herself to shoot him. Instead, she lets off a round which hits an acid pustule on the wall behind him, spraying him with deadly acid. Then she just walks away.

It sounds like this death was directly caused by the deliberate action of the character, making it not an example. I commented it out on the main page.

• In Korean Drama Who Are You?, Jang Yeon-hee's prospective mother-in-law really, really did not approve of the impending marriage between Yeon-hee and her son Park Woong-joon. So much so that when Yeon-hee goes into an asthma attack after a nasty argumemnt with Mama Park, Mama Park holds onto Yeon-hee's asthma medication and watches her die.

Can anyone clarify whether Mama Park "hold[ing] onto Yeon-hee's asthma medication" means she neglected to bring Yeon-hee's medication to her (inaction) or if she actively prevented Yeon-hee (or a third party) from getting the medication herself (active role in the death, and thus not an example). I haven't commented this one out because the description is too vague to tell, but to me saying she "holds onto Yeon-hee's asthma medication" implies active interference that wouldn't match this trope.

Edited by NotOnAnyFlatbread

Suggest examples you're not sure about here. We can discuss.

"Get me a gun, I'm a soldier; but put me in that suit and I'm a superhero." - Gunnery Sgt Roberta "Bobbie" Draper MMC Hide / Show Replies

Description meeds work. Core ideas are there, but it's a bit clinical and stale - not even in a Beige Prose kind of way - it's boring to read. Anyone want to have a go at spicing it it up in true tvtropes fashion?

"Get me a gun, I'm a soldier; but put me in that suit and I'm a superhero." - Gunnery Sgt Roberta "Bobbie" Draper MMC